Fashion Models and the Hottest Designer Trends

For the first issue of Archetype X is a special 3-D editorial entitled “Total Eclipse of the Heart” shot by photographer Baldovino Barani starring Yana Pova of Muse Model Management. Styled by Winton J. Dean, Yana is shown gallivanting through the cities of China in a lime green structured shoulder short dress, a fuchsia Dolce & Gabbana faux fur coat, a bright green structured shoulder body suit, and Louis Vuitton bunny ears in almost every image. This editorial is quite interesting and definitely stands out with my favorite look being the bright lime green structured shoulder short dress with black Louis Vuitton bunny ears.

In a recent editorial entitled “How To Brighten Up Your Wardrobe” by photographer Sølve Sundsbø for V MAN, Russian male model Arthur Daniyarov of DNA, who was recently in a campaign for Jill Sander, is imaged with the perfect amount of light donning the season’s hottest monochromatic designs. Styled by Jay Massacret, Arthur showcases designs by Burberry Prorsum, Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Z Zegna, and Lanvin. I like this editorial due to the fact that the lighting creates a neon glow making the ensembles jump out of the images.

24-year-old Czech supermodel Hana Soukupova of IMG, who recently appeared in Vogue Germany by Paola Kudacki, is featured in an editorial entitled “Wall Flowers” shot by photographer Regan Cameron. Shot on the streets with graffiti covered walls, Hana is showcased in Marc Jacobs nylon silk jack and leather belt with silk organza shorts, Gucci canvas jacket and cotton top with black pants, Chloé viscoe-linen-and-cotton dress and buffalo-leather belt with leather-and-suede Phi boots, Balenciaga leather-and-polyester-jersey-organza top with leather pants, a Burberry Prorsum gabardine trench, an Alexander Wang lambskin jacket with detachable cotton linen elastane skirt, and Louis Vuitton cotton shirt and skirt with Bottega Veneta Raffia sandals. Although I really enjoy the ensembles, backdrops, and hair in this editorial, I feel that the eye makeup on Hana was too dark overall. In my opinion, the makeup artist should have either given Hana a fresh, natural look or smokier eyes with less black eyeliner.

In the February 2010 issue of Wallpaper magazine, an editorial entitled “Best In Shows” features 18-year-old South African newcomer Marike Le Roux of Wilhelmina, who recently became the face of Sonia Rykiel, 19-year-old Slovenian newcomer Valerija Kelava of Next Models, who is in the spring 2010 campaign for Celine, 21-year-old French male model Tom Nicon of Success Models, who is in the spring/summer 2010 campaign for Burberry Sport, newcomer male model Louis de Castro of Bananas, who recently worked with Wooyoungmi and Dries Van Noten, 17-year-old Hungarian newcomer Sophie Srej of IMG, who recently appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, 18-year-old Romanian Andreea Diaconu of IMG, who is in the spring/summer 2010 campaign for Frankie Morello, and male model Philipp Bierbaum of Tempo Model Management, who was recently in campaigns for Gianfranco Ferré and Dolce & Gabbana. Shot by photographer Pierre Even and styled by Arabella Mills, the models are shown in designers such as Viktor & Rolf, Louis Vuitton, Raf Simons, Dior Homme, Lanvin, Jil Sander, and Gucci.

To introduce the first looks from the spring collections, the February 2010 issue of Vogue Paris is dedicated to a massive editorial entitled “Vogue-à-Porter” shot by world-renowned photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. With art direction from Carine Roitfeld, Emmanuelle Alt, and Camilla Nickerson, the editorial stars 32-year-old supermodel Bridget Hall of One Management, 22-year-old American model Dree Hemingway of Elite Model Management, 22-year-old Danish model Freja Beha Erichsen of IMG, 26-year-old Brazilian model Raquel Zimmermann of DNA, 21-year-old Dutch model Anna De Rijk also of DNA, 26-year-old Dutch supermodel Lara Stone also of IMG, 26-year-old Brazilian supermodel Isabeli Fontana of Storm Models, Belgian model Tanga Moreau of Models 1, 39-year-old British supermodel Naomi Campbell also of IMG, 42-year-old American model Talisa Soto of Click Models, and 26-year-old Polish supermodel Daria Werbowy also of IMG in designers such as Balmain, Miu Miu, Oscar de la Renta, Christian Dior, Celine, Louis Vuitton, Etro, Donna Karan, and Hugo Boss.

Last Friday, designer Marc Jacobs received one of the most important awards in French culture being named a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, or Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, at a ceremony held in Paris. The award was presented to Marc by Culture Minister Frédéric Mitterrand for all he’s given to the fashion industry calling him “an iconic designer, a gifted person, but also a hard worker.” Marc Jacbos has been the creative director of French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton since 1997 who has quadrupled it’s worth since. Along with Marc, designer Nathalie Rykiel, daughter of Sonia Rykiel, also was awarded as a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.

The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres was established on May 2, 1957 by the Minister of Culture as an Order of France, which was later confirmed as an Ordre national du Mérite by previous president Charles de Gaulle in 1963 aiming to recognize significant contributions to the arts, literature, or related fields. Individuals who are considered for this prestigious award do not necessarily need to be French, but they must be citizens of France, be at least 30 years of age, adhere to French civil law, and must have “significantly contributed to the enrichment of the French cultural inheritance.”

There are three grades of the award, which are Commandeur, Officier, and Chevalier, being the highest grade given. Marc Jacobs and Nathalie Rykiel both received the Chevalier honor along with previously awarded Kylie Minogue, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Redford, Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Dylan, Meryl Streep, Jude Law, George Clooney, and others.

Although 19-year-old French model Constance Jablonski of Elite Model Management is no stranger to the pages of French and Italian Vogue, she has never appeared in a U.S. publication until the February 2010 issue of Vogue US in an editorial entitled “Back in the Saddle.” Shot by photographer Raymond Meier and styled by Elissa Santissi, Constance is styled in a black mini skirt by Miu Miu, Christian Louboutin caged booties, Chanel calfskin clogs, a Louis Vuitton messenger bag, a bright orange Antonio Berardi mini dress, bright orange Jean Paul Gaultier leggings, and Neiman Marcus undercover pumps utilizing a horse theme in every image.